Can-opener.



J. MURGHIE.

CAN OPENER. APPLIOATIbH FILED BEPT.16, 1909 989-, 181 Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

WITNESSES: /flWW/Zfij fNl/ENTOR,

W By I A TTORNE VS.

JAMES MURCHIE, 0F TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed September 16, 1909. Serial No. 518,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MURoI-Im, a citizen of the United States, residing at Traverse City, in the county of Grand Traverse and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Can-Opener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can openers, and more especially to those employing a pivoted blade; and the objects of the same are to mount the blade in the handle in such manner as to brace it when opened, and to provide the blade with a laterally projecting fulcrum forming a seat when the knife is in use and also to shape the handle so as to receive this fulcrum when the blade is folded.

With the above and other objects in view as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the implement with all of its operative parts closed. Fig. 2 is an edge view with the cork-screw open. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, certain of the parts being broken away for purpose of clearness in illustration.

The implement comprises a blade 1, a handle 2, and a cork screw 3. The blade is provided at one end with an approximately spade-shaped knife or cutting element 4, which is sharpened on one edge, and is provided at its opposite or thicker edge adjacent to the point where it merges into the blade with an obliquely-disposed recess 5 forming a seat adapted to engage with the recessed or bead-like projection generally present at the periphery of a can top at the point where it joins the body thereof. This bead-engaging seat will operate to cause the knife to out the cover adjacent to the can body, so that when the said cover is removed all of the contents of the can may readily be discharged therefrom. Further, the seat will also hold the blade from slipping laterally in the manipulation of the implement.

Projecting at right angles from the blade at a point adjacent to the knife is a twomembered fulcrum 6, the outer portion of which is provided with a guard 7 disposed in parallelism with the knife 4 and which operates, in conjunction with the seat 5, to prevent the knife from becoming detached or slipping laterally from the can when in use. Between the fulcrum members is pivoted the head 8 of the cork screw 3, which is by preference eccentric in form to provide a stop 9 which by contact with the blade will hold the cork screw at right angles thereto when it is to be used, as shown in Fig. 2.

The handle 2 to which reference is made, is constructed of a piece of sheet metal bent upon itself to provide a channel 10 in which the blade and knife are adapted to be housed, one end portion of the handle being shaped to receive the knife 4 and to constitute a sheath 11 which will operate to house the knife in such manner as to positively prevent it from inflictin any injury upon the person carrying it. ne side of the handle is recessed, as at 12, in order to accommodate the fulcrum 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The blade is pivoted at 13 to the handle, and in order to remove strain from the pivot when the implement is used in opening a can, the handle is provided at its end adjacent the pivot with an arm 14 that is designed to engage a recess 15 in the tang of the blade. This arm ma be of any preferred length and, as wil readily be seen, will in a positive manner relieve the pivot from any strain that would tend to disrupt or bend it. The arm 14 is designed for removing rubber corks having wire staples and which are ordinarily used by soft drink manufacturers. The sheath 11. with its broad flat tapered end may be employed to pry ofi aluminum or pressed stoppers such as are used by large breweries. The teeth or points constituting the guard 7 can be engaged under the edge of the ordinary tin cap, such as placed upon catsup bottles and the like, to force the cap from the bottle, while the knife 4-. can not only be used as a can opener, but can also be used for cutting the wires ordinarily used to retain cork stoppers in wine bottles. The cork screw 8 is utilized for removing the ordinary cork stoppers.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the improvements herein defined are simple in character they will be thoroughly efficient for the purposes designed, and may readily and easily be manufactured at a price that will permit them to be placed successfully upon the market.

What is claimed is The herein described can opener, the same comprising a sheet metal handle bent longitudinally upon itself into channel form with the Walls conne'cted at one end to produce a sheath and one of them recessed from its free edge inward, a blade pivoted at one end Within the handle and having a knife at its other end, and adjacent said knife a lateral fulcrum projecting from the blade in position to pass through said recess When the 10 parts are folded together the fulcrum forming an oblique seat adjacent the thick edge of the blade and havlng a guard at 1ts outer I end disposed parallel With the knife.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature 1 1 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

